Police Shot Tens Of Millions Of ATM Card Burglars In Gowa, Fake Call Center Logo Mode

The Gowa Police, assisted by the Resmob Unit of the South Sulawesi Police, uncovered a case of burglary of an Independent Cash Exchange Card (ATM) with two suspects and two other perpetrators on the People's Wanted List (DPO) against three victims with losses of tens of millions of rupiah.

"From the results of the pursuit of members and the results of the investigation, we were able to reveal the names of four perpetrators and arrested by two people, as well as two people who are still DPOs, initials R male and PS female. He was secured with the initials HN aged 27 years and AS aged 45 years in East Palu City, Central Sulawesi," said Head of Public Relations of the South Sulawesi Regional Police, Kombes I Komang Suartana, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, December 27.

From the police report, there were three cases of ATM burglary with three victims from South Sulawesi, respectively Fitra Andika (29) a resident of Palangga, Gowa Regency with a loss of Rp. 17.8 million, then Wahab (43) a resident of Makassar Rp. 52.500 million and Lift Puryanto (31) a resident of Gowa Rp. 3 million. If the total number of victims losses reaches Rp. 83.3 million.

Meanwhile, the modus operandi of the perpetrators who are already specialists, said Komang, is to shake the oil plastic in the mouth of the ATM and attach the fake call center logo to the ATM machine. When the potential victim withdraws money at the ATM, as if the machine is swallowed, the perpetrator directs to immediately call the fake call center number which is known to be the perpetrator's network.

The victim also called the call center and then asked for a pin number with the excuse of facilitating the process and being directed to the bank office the next day. After the victim left the ATM, the perpetrators pryed out the blocked card and drained the contents of the savings account after knowing the victim's pin number.

"If we look at the mode of operation of the perpetrators, it is to attach a live call center notification sheet in the right corner of the ATM machine screen, the mode. Meanwhile, the motive is to meet the daily needs of life according to the results of the investigation," he said.

For the evidence confiscated by officers, there were various kinds of ATM cards belonging to the victim, two Korean glues, one BRI call center sticker, telephone number 08986964000, one STNK sheet, four cell phone batteries, one plate screwdriver, one small iron saw and four cell phones, two wallets and IDR 4 million in cash.

Meanwhile, the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Gowa Police, AKP Bachtiar, added that the disclosure of the ATM burglary was originally based on the victim's report when he took money at an ATM on Jalan Sultan Hasanuddin, Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi on November 13, 2023, but the card was swallowed. After a while the money has been drained.

The perpetrator launched his action at a roadside ATM and in a quiet condition and there was no security guard. The arrest of the perpetrator was after the police checked CCTV footage to identify the perpetrator and managed to arrest the perpetrator at an ATM in East Palu City, Central Sulawesi when he was about to commit the crime to his potential victim.

In addition, the perpetrators were not from South Sulawesi and were known to be recidivist in a theft case who had already served a period of detention at Batu Raja Prison, South Sumatra.

"The perpetrator has also carried out his actions repeatedly in the jurisdiction of the South Sulawesi Regional Police with cases of theft and ATM burglary such as in Makassar City, Gowa Regency, Bulukumba and Maros. The perpetrators also committed the same acts in Majene Regency and Mamuju City, West Sulawesi and Palu City Province," he said.

The suspect was charged with Article 51 paragraph 1 Juncto Article 35 of Law number 19 of 2016 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions or ITE and Article 363 paragraph 1 4e of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 64 of the Criminal Code with a maximum imprisonment of 12 years and a maximum fine of IDR 12 billion and or seven years in prison.

Previously, the US suspect was taken to Bayangkara Hospital Makassar after hot lead lodged in his leg for trying to escape after being arrested by officers, he admitted his actions and even argued that the money he got was to pay debts at loan sharks.

"The money is about to pay debts to moneylenders in the village, and some of the money I transferred to my parents. While in South Sulawesi, I was in Jeneponto for one week, I didn't work. Only after that did this (the ATM break-in)," he said.